This invention relates to novel N-ferrocenoyl-N'-acylhydrazines which are useful as insecticides, compositions containing these compounds and methods of their use.
Compounds of the present invention are particularly suitable for controlling plant-destructive insects in crops of cultivated plants, ornamentals and forestry.
Certain acyl hydrazine derivatives have been disclosed in the literature.
In Sint Metody Osnt Elemtoorg, Soedin, 66-9, 1982, edited by I. Lapkin, (in Russian, CA: 100(1):6778) certain ferrocenoyl hydrazine compounds are disclosed; no biological data are given.
In J. Prakt. Chem. 35(3-4) 149-58 (1967), Larkowski, H. J.; Pannier, R. and Wende, A. (in German) certain ferrocenoyl hydrazine compounds are disclosed; no biological activity is disclosed.
EP 232-075-A (1987), AU 8664-289-A (1987), and EP 228-564-A (1987) disclose diacyl-N-substituted hydrazines and their insecticidal use.
Certain ferrocene pyrethroid compounds are disclosed as insecticides in CA: 99: 5768 (1983) and CA: 103: 18351 (1985).
The biological applications of ferrocene compounds are reviewed in J. Organometalic Chem.; 278, 314-17 (1984) and CA: 110: 149718.
The ferrocenyl acylhydrazines of the present invention differ from known compounds primarily by their ferrocenoyl substituent and/or the branched alkyl substituents on the nitrogen atom.
Compounds of the present invention are also distinguished by their excellent insecticidal activity, particularly against insects of the orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, and most particularly against insects of the order Lepidoptera, without material adverse impact on beneficial insects.